Apparatus for dispensing wire



Dec. 16, 1958 R. L. WHEARLEY' 2,864,565

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING WIRE INVENTOR.

ROBERT L. WHEARLEY A T'TORNE Y8 United States Patent() APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING WIRE Robert L. Whearley, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Rea Magnet Wire Company, Incorporated, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of'Indiana Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,441

6 Claims. (Cl. 242128) The present invention relates to an apparatus for'dispensing wire, and more particularly to a unique and novel apparatus for withdrawing a continuous length of copper wire from an annular container at relatively high velocities. In the magnet wire industry, copper wire with a suitable coating of insulation has been wound in relatively long lengths on spools having opposite end flanges. In withdrawing or dispensing wire from such spools, the spool may be set on one end, and the wire withdrawn axially therefrom in a continuous motion. Mechanisms for withdrawing the wire from the spool usually consist of coil winding machines which are automatic or semiautomatic and which withdraw wire from the spool at relatively high velocities. Because of the presence of the end flange and the manner in which the wire is wound on the spool, there is a certain withdrawal velocity which cannot be exceeded without damaging the wire, and up to the present time it has been impossible to wind coils any more expeditiously because of thi limiting factor.

Recently, new methods and techniques have been developed by the assignee of this application for packing soft copper wire in annular containers, whereupon such wire can be dispensed therefrom by merely drawing it out of the container end in an axial direction. One particular wire dispensing device is disclosed and claimed in an application entitled Wire Dispensing Device, Serial No. 485,665, filed February 2, 1955, Allen C. Sheldon inventor.

In withdrawing wire from an annular container at relatively high velocities, it has been discoveredthat the wire tends to become kinked and knotted, thereby requiring the withdrawal velocities to be substantially reduced. By means of the invention of the foregoing Sheldon application and this invention, it is possible to withdraw wire from annular containers at relatively high velocities without encountering the difliculty just mentioned of producing knots or entanglements in the wire which demand that the mechanism be stopped and the condition cleared.

An object of this invention is to provide a unique and novel apparatus for dispensing wire from an annular container at relatively high velocities.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dampening ring in combination with an annular container which serves in conjunction therewith to reduce the tendency of the wire to entangle or knot during dispensing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a uniquely-shaped dampening ring which is reliably operable to reduce the tendency of wire to entangle or knot during dispensing.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that specific change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional illustration taken substantially along section line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the de-reeling or dispensing ring; and

Fig. 4 is a diametral cross-section of the ring.

Referring to the drawings, the wire is laid into and stored in an annular container composed of coaxial innerand outer walls 10 and 12, respectively, and a bottom 14. Copper wire is laid into the annular space 16 between the walls 10 and 12 through the upper annular opening 18 in eccentric coils or loops around the inner wall or core 10. The preferred method of coiling or laying the Wire in the container is more fully explained in Sheldon application Serial No. 485,665. In Fig. 1, the container is illustrated as being approximately one-half filled with wire 20.

In dispensing wire from the container, wire is drawn axially outwardly in the direction of the arrow F. When the wire 22 is withdrawn at a relatively high velocity, it tends to loop ahead of itself around the core 10 and develop a knot or kink which must be cleared before the dispensing operation can continue. The apparatus of this invention for reducing this tendency to knot is an annular member or ring 24 which may be used, but not necessarily, in conjunction with an additional dispensing device or funnel 26. This invention is directed to the invention which includes the ring 24, the structure of the dispensing device 26 being the subject of another invention and application for patent.

The ring 24 may be composed of any suitable material such as metal or plastic, and is provided with inner and outer peripheral edges 28 and 30, respectively. The diameter of the inner edge 28 is just slightly larger than the outer diameter of the core 10 so that the ring may slide freely thereover.

The ring further is provided with a bottom surface 32 which inclines upwardly from the outer edge-30 to the inner edge 28 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. Axially coextensive with the inner edge 28 and extending upwardly is an annular bearing flange 34 which is engageable with the core 10 to prevent the ring from cocking or tilting. The outer ring edge 30 is smoothly rounded as shown and merges into a continuous surface with the bottom 32. The reason for this smooth contour will become apparent from the following discussion.

The dispensing device 26 is composed of an inverted funnel 36 supported coaxially above the annular container by means of a suitable frame 38. The wire 22 is threaded through an opening 40 in the funnel and around a rotatable capstan 42 of conventional design to be withdrawn in a horizontal direction as illustrated.

Suitable dimensions of a practical working embodiment of the invention are seven and one-quarter (7%) inches for the diameter for the core 10, eleven and onequarter (11%) inches diameter for the wall 12, and ten and one-quarter inches for the outer diameter of the ring 24. Thus it is seen that an annular space 44 equal to one (1) inch is provided between the wall 12 and ring 24.

In operation, the ring 24 is placed over the core 10 as shown in Fig. 1 to rest on the upper surface of the coiled wire 16. The wire end is threaded through the dispensing device 26 and attached to any external pulling device, such as a coil winding machine. The wire 22 is, thereafter, namely withdrawn axially from the container. Because of the inclination 32 of the ring 24, only a very small annular contact between the ring 24 and the stored wire 16 is made. As the wire is withdrawn from under the ring 24, the frictional contact between the ring 24 and this wire tends to dampen the tendency of the wire to loop ahead of itself around the core 10 and become entangled or knotted. Thus the ring 24 can be characterized as a dampening or braking device which overcomes or counteracts the natural effects of wire inertia during rapid dispensing.

Since a large percentage of magnet wire is covered with an insulating coating or enamel or the like, it is important that this dispensing apparatus not scuff or otherwise damage such enamel. By rounding the outer ring periphery and providing the inclined surface 32, it is seen that only a minimum of contact of the ring 24 with the wire 16 is provided. Thus there is substantially no chance of the enamel being damaged by attrition with the ring 24.

The weight of the ring 24 as well as the size is critical within limits. If the ring is too heavy, it of course will unduly retard the dispensing of the wire and also tend to damage the enamel. If the ring diameter is too small, the desired dampening effect is not achieved, whereupon the wire will become knotted and entangled as previously stated. If the ring is too large, the wire does not dispense freely enough and tends to catch or scuff. Suitable dimensions for a working embodiment have already been given and will serve in conjunction with the above explanation to enable a person skilled in the an to arrive at the proper ring size and weight.

As will be noted in Figs. 1 and 4, the ring 24 is slightly dish-shaped on its top surface, as indicated by the reference numeral 46. In the event it is desired to increase the weight of the ring 24, it is only necessary to place a ring of metal or the like in the dished surface 46. In some instances for the dispensing of larger sizes of wire, it is desirable to increase the weight of the ring 24. The addition of the ring of metal serves this purpose admirably.

There is a dispensing velocity above which the ring 24 as the sole dampening device cannot be exceeded without producing the entanglements or knots previously described, but the use of the funnel device 26 further reduces the tendency to knot which allows the velocity to be increased. As the wire is being withdrawn from the container, it tends to be centrifuged outwardly. By providing the funnel 26, this outward motion is limited suitably. As mentioned earlier, the funnel device 26 is a separate'invention and is being covered by another application.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for use in connection with dispensing wire axially from an annular spacing of a container to inhibit knotting of the wire as it is dispensed, said device comprising an annular body having inner and outer peripheral edges of circular contour and a bottom surface, said bottom surface inclining upwardly inwardly from the outer edge to the inner edge of the body, said inner edge extending axially of the body defining the opening through the annular body and formed to provide a bearing surface for cooperation with the container, said dethe container, said outer edge being smooth to provide a surface which will not injure thesurface coating on wire which is rubbed thereagainst.

2. A device for use in connection with dispensing wire axially from an annular spacing of a container to inhibit knotting of the wire as it is dispensed, said device comprising an annular body having inner and outer peripheral edges of circular contour and a bottom surface, a tubular bearing flange extending axially upwardly from said inner edge, said bottom surface inclining upwardly inwardly from the outer edge to the inner edge of the body, the said inner edge extending axially of the body defining the opening through the annular body and formed to provide a bearing surface for cooperation with the container, said device being insertable axially into the annular spacing of the container, said outer edge being smooth to provide a surface which will not injure the surface coating on wire which is rubbed thereagainst.

3. A device for use in connection with dispensing wire axially from an annular spacing of a container to inhibit knotting of the wire as it is dispensed, said device comprising an annular disc-shaped member having top and bottom surfaces and inner and outer peripheral edges, the inner and outer edges being of circular contour, a tubular bearing flange extending axially upwardly from the inner edge, the bottom surface inclining upwardly inwardly of the body from the outer edge to the inner edge of the body, the said inner edge extending axially of the body defining the opening through the annular body and formed to provide a bearing surface for cooperation with the container, said device being insertable axially into the annular spacing of the container, the outer edge being curved to merge with the bottom surface to provide a continuously smooth surface extending from the bottom and around the outermost portion of the outer edge.

4. A wire dispensing apparatus in combination comprising an annular container having spaced inner and outer cylindrically-shaped walls, the space between said walls being adapted to receive coiled wire, an annular member slidably fitted over said inner wall at an inner peripheral edge of the member, the outer diameter of said member being circular and smaller than the diameter of the outer wall to provide an annular wire-dispensing space between said member and said outer wall, said member having a bottom surface which is inclined inwardly of the member upwardly from the circular outer edge towards the said inner wall to provide an outer surface portion only of the member on the upper surface of the coiled wire thereby serving to dampen the tendency for the wire to uncoil.

5. A wire dispensing apparatus in combination comprising an annular container having spaced inner and outer cylindrically-shaped walls, the space between said walls being adapted to receive coiled wire, an annular member slidably fitted over said inner wall, the outer diameter of said member being circular and smaller than the diameter of the outer wall to provide an annular wire-dispensing space between said member and said outer wall, said member having a bottom surface which inclines upwardly from the outer edge to the inner edge, the outer member edge being rounded in cross-section and smoothly merging with said bottom surface, said member being adapted to rest on the coiled wire and to thereby resist the tendency of said wire to uncoil.

6. For use in an annular wall spacing of a container in wire dispensing apparatus in which insulated wire coiled elliptically in the annular spacing of the container is dispensed axially of the container, a dampening ring in the form of an annular body positionable axially in the annular spacing of the container to rest on the wire in the container and of a weight sufficient to counteract the tendency of the wire to loop ahead of itself in dispensing, said dampening ring comprising an annular body having inner and outer peripheral edges of circular contour, said bottom surface inclining upward- 5 a 6 ly inwardly of the annular body from the outer circular I References Cited in the file of this patent edge of the body to the inner circular edge, said inner edge of the body defining the'opening of the annular UNITED STATES PATENTS body and extending axially of the body to provide a Re. 9,605 Palmer 'Mar. 15, 1881 bearing surface for cooperation of the dampening ring 5 864,342 Smith Aug. 27, 1907 4 with the container, said outer edge being smooth to pro- 2,534,340 Chaya et al Dec. 19, 1950 videa surface which will not injure the surface coating 2,629,566 King Feb. 24, 1953 on insulated wire rubbed thereagainst as the wire is with- 2,752,108 Richardson June 26, 1956 drawn from the container. 

